SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Andrew Kimura, 31, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to three years and 10 months in prison and a $7,500 fine for participating in a bribery conspiracy that licensed unqualified drivers, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, in approximately June 2011, Kimura was a Licensing Registration Examiner who worked in the DMV’s office in Sacramento. He processed applications for Class A and Class B commercial and Class C non‑commercial driver’s licenses.

Kimura conspired with others to obtain Class A CDLs for individuals who had not taken or passed the necessary DMV examinations in return for the payment of money to employees of the DMV, and to produce identification documents without lawful authority. Co-defendants who owned and operated truck driving schools acted as brokers to assist individuals in obtaining driver’s licenses. They paid money to Kimura to access the DMV’s computer database and alter individuals’ electronic DMV records to fraudulently and incorrectly indicate that applicants had passed examinations for Class C licenses, had passed the written examination for Class A CDLs, or had fulfilled the requirements for a Class A or Class B CDL renewal. These incorrect and fraudulent entries in the DMV database caused the DMV to issue licenses to unqualified individuals.

Acting U.S. Attorney Talbert stated: “California and every other state requires drivers to prove they have a basic understanding of the rules of the road and an ability to safely operate a vehicle. Kimura violated the public’s trust for his own personal gain when he circumvented this process and gave unqualified people licenses to drive on the nation’s roads and highways. We remain committed to working with our federal and state law enforcement partners to prosecute such fraud.”

“The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) takes fraud and illegal activity very seriously and is not tolerated. This case is just one example of the extraordinary work performed by DMV Investigations to ensure the safety of the motoring public,” said DMV Director Jean Shiomoto. "One of our priorities is to continually look at new ways to safeguard against fraud.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ Investigations Division, Office of Internal Affairs. Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Pickles and Rosanne L. Rust are prosecuting the cases.

Charges are pending against co-defendants Pavitar Dosangh “Peter” Singh, 59, of Turlock, Mangal Gill, 56, of San Ramon, and Robert Turchin, 66, of Salinas. A status conference is scheduled for them on September 23, 2016. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

On August 11, 2015, DMV employee Emma Klem, 46, of Salinas and truck driving school owner Kulwinder Dosanjh “Sodhi” Singh pleaded guilty. Both are scheduled for a status conference in February 2017.